In Bluebell Bay lived Niko, a friendly shark with an enormous grin. When he smiled, his teeth went sparkle, sparkle, like tiny white shells.
Niko wanted friends to play swish-swish chase. But when he swam near, the little fish zipped behind coral, zip zip zip, and Niko's tail drooped low.
"Hello?" he whispered. Maybe my smile is too big. Oh dear, his fins tucked close.
⁂
Next morning, Niko practised a tiny smile in a shiny bubble. Plip! The bubble popped on his nose, and he blinked twice.
Along came Dot, a neat little crab, tap tap tapping across the sand. "Why are you hiding behind that rock, Niko?"
"Everyone swims away," said Niko. "I am friendly, but my teeth arrive first."
Dot clicked her claws, click click. "Then let your kind heart arrive first too."
Big teeth, kind heart, shine from the start.
Niko breathed in. Whoosh. He followed Dot to the plain wooden pier, where the fish were rolling a red ball.
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The ball bounced bump, bump, boing! Then it rolled under the pier into a dim, squelchy patch of sand.
The fish peeped from behind Dot. Niko did not rush. He smiled his gentlest smile, and sunlight flashed on his teeth, glowing bright under the boards.
"Wow," said Dot. "A shark-lamp!"
Niko reached in carefully. His fin scooped the ball out with a soft squelch, and it popped free. Plop!
The little fish wiggled closer. One said, "Thank you, Niko. Your smile found our ball."
Niko's tail began swish, swish, swish. Not too big. Not too small. Just Niko.
⁂
"Can I play?" asked Niko.
"Yes!" cried the fish, and they made a game called Shark-Lamp Chase. Niko darted left, Dot tapped right, and the red ball went whoosh between them.
By sunset, Bluebell Bay rang with splashes, giggles, and tap tap taps. Niko did not hide behind rocks anymore.
He had Dot. He had the fish. He had lots and lots of friends, and his enormous smile shone all the way home.
